Microsoft speech recognition technology now understands a conversation as well as a person

Microsoft researchers say they have created a speech recognition system that understands human conversation as well as the average person does.In a paper published this week the Microsoft Artificial Intelligence and Research group said its speech recognition system had attained “human parity” and made fewer errors than a human professional transcriptionist.+More on Network World: Feds want to set a trail for future AI advances+“The error rate of professional transcriptionists is 5.9% for the Switchboard portion of the data, in which newly acquainted pairs of people discuss an assigned topic, and 11.3% for the CallHome portion where friends and family members have open-ended conversations. In both cases, our automated system establishes a new state-of-the-art, and edges past the human benchmark. This marks the first time that human parity has been reported for conversational speech,” the researchers wrote in their paper. Switchboard is a standard set of conversational speech and text used in speech recognition tests.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Ubuntu 16.10 targets hybrid cloud deployments, supports Unity 8 development

Canonical, developer of Ubuntu, a distribution of Linux, released a new version of its software that targets hybrid cloud deployments. Ubuntu is often mentioned as one of the top 3 distributions of Linux when shipments are considered, depending upon which research firm one cites.What Canonical has to say about Ubuntu 16.10 Canonical pointed out that this release of Ubuntu targets high-performance network deployments, including hybrid cloud implementations. The following summarizes the announcement: Ubuntu is the platform used in the majority of cloud deployments worldwide. Version 16.10 includes tools or hybrid cloud operations, bare-metal cloud performance. It provides enterprises with the ability to "lift and shift" 80 percent of Linux virtual machines to machine containers. It includes Kubernetes for process-container coordination. It also includes full container support in OpenStack, as well as "telco-grade" networking latency enhancements. Canonical went on to discuss other features of this release:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How technology is improving the hiring process

In recent years, the concept of employer brand has taken hold as companies compete for talent. Just as a strong market identity gives a company the capability to charge premium prices — think Apple, American Express and BMW — a strong employer brand assists with recruiting in a competitive job market.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

57% off RAVPower FileHub Wireless Hard Drive, WiFi Bridge & Sharing Media Streamer – Deal Alert

You may find many uses for this versatile and powerful file hub from RAVPower, currently discounted 58% on Amazon from $75.99 down to just $32.49. Let's run down the features: Let up to 5 devices wirelessly connect to the FileHub wireless network, to access its SD card and/or USB storage to share files Media server capabilities, allowing wirelessly connected devices to stream audio and video from any attached storage device Move files freely between all connected methods of storage and devices, including tablets and phones Bridge an existing wireless network, create a new secure network and share with family or friends, or bridge to connect to devices such as Chromecast in hotels Built-in power bank charges your device when you can't access a power source RAVPower's FileHub currently averages 4 out of 5 stars from over 1,800 customers (read reviews). For more information or to explore buying options, see the discounted FileHub now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

57% off RAVPower FileHub Wireless Hard Drive, WiFi Bridge & Sharing Media Streamer – Deal Alert

You may find many uses for this versatile and powerful file hub from RAVPower, currently discounted 58% on Amazon from $75.99 down to just $32.49. Let's run down the features: Let up to 5 devices wirelessly connect to the FileHub wireless network, to access its SD card and/or USB storage to share files Media server capabilities, allowing wirelessly connected devices to stream audio and video from any attached storage device Move files freely between all connected methods of storage and devices, including tablets and phones Bridge an existing wireless network, create a new secure network and share with family or friends, or bridge to connect to devices such as Chromecast in hotels Built-in power bank charges your device when you can't access a power source RAVPower's FileHub currently averages 4 out of 5 stars from over 1,800 customers (read reviews). For more information or to explore buying options, see the discounted FileHub now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Critical flaws found in open-source encryption software VeraCrypt

A new security audit has found critical vulnerabilities in VeraCrypt, an open-source, full-disk encryption program that's the direct successor of the widely popular, but now defunct, TrueCrypt.Users are encouraged to upgrade to VeraCrypt 1.19, which was released Monday and includes patches for most of the flaws. Some issues remain unpatched because fixing them requires complex changes to the code and in some cases would break backward compatibility with TrueCrypt.However, the impact of most of those issues can be avoided by following the safe practices mentioned in the VeraCrypt user documentation when setting up encrypted containers and using the software.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Critical flaws found in open-source encryption software VeraCrypt

A new security audit has found critical vulnerabilities in VeraCrypt, an open-source, full-disk encryption program that's the direct successor of the widely popular, but now defunct, TrueCrypt.Users are encouraged to upgrade to VeraCrypt 1.19, which was released Monday and includes patches for most of the flaws. Some issues remain unpatched because fixing them requires complex changes to the code and in some cases would break backward compatibility with TrueCrypt.However, the impact of most of those issues can be avoided by following the safe practices mentioned in the VeraCrypt user documentation when setting up encrypted containers and using the software.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

What’s behind Amazon, Microsoft and Google’s aggressive cloud expansions

It wasn’t long ago that the big spectator sport in IaaS cloud computing was to watch a leading provider such as Microsoft or Amazon Web Services announce price cuts and then ready for its rivals to follow suit.The new game in town plays out in a similar way, except now the vendors are matching or one-upping each other with new data centers and cloud computing regions.+MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Winners and losers from the AWS-VMware deal | Mapping the cloud: Where does the public cloud actually live? +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

What’s behind Amazon, Microsoft and Google’s aggressive cloud expansions

It wasn’t long ago that the big spectator sport in IaaS cloud computing was to watch a leading provider such as Microsoft or Amazon Web Services announce price cuts and then ready for its rivals to follow suit.The new game in town plays out in a similar way, except now the vendors are matching or one-upping each other with new data centers and cloud computing regions.+MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Winners and losers from the AWS-VMware deal | Mapping the cloud: Where does the public cloud actually live? +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Roqos Core router combines cybersecurity with parental controls

The home Wi-Fi router space continues to gain momentum, with additional startups aiming to provide devices that do more than just sit there and route traffic. The latest device that has arrived at the Cool Tools testing zone is the Roqos Core.Roqos has three goals with its device: First, to provide an easy setup for its Wi-Fi router, making it so that “even grandma can set it up”; second, to provide parents with a control system that lets them pause the Internet at the press of a button, and also give filtering and blocking controls; and third, provide a cloud-based cyber-securitiy system that monitors all network traffic through Deep Packet Inspection.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Roqos Core router combines cybersecurity with parental controls

The home Wi-Fi router space continues to gain momentum, with additional startups aiming to provide devices that do more than just sit there and route traffic. The latest device that has arrived at the Cool Tools testing zone is the Roqos Core.Roqos has three goals with its device: First, to provide an easy setup for its Wi-Fi router, making it so that “even grandma can set it up”; second, to provide parents with a control system that lets them pause the Internet at the press of a button, and also give filtering and blocking controls; and third, provide a cloud-based cyber-securitiy system that monitors all network traffic through Deep Packet Inspection.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

I switched to Google’s Pixel phone and survived

Google made a splash earlier this month when the company announced it would be shipping a dongle with every Pixel phone it sold that helps iPhone users migrate to its Android flagship.As a lifelong iPhone user, I decided to put Google to the test and find out how well that process really works. And after spending a weekend working through it, I came to a nuanced and messy conclusion. Broadly speaking, migrating works fine, but the nitty-gritty details of the process are painful to deal with.I expected the transition to be far from frictionless. After all, I use iCloud Photo Library to sync my photos, correspond with my friends using iMessage, track my exercise with an Apple Watch and use a Mac. Migrating wasn't going to be easy, but I wanted to give it a shot anyway and see whether the Pixel XL lived up to Google's hype.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The tricky, personal politics of cloud security

Everyone talks about the issue of security in the cloud, but the problem is far more complicated than it first appears. More than just a simple matter of protecting data, it may also be about protecting security jobs.+ Also on Network World: Cloud security: A mismatch for existing security processes and technology +This inherent contradiction was apparent in the results of a recent survey of 140 attendees at the Microsoft Ignite 2016 conference last month. Performed by Lieberman Software Corporation, the survey addressed how IT security professionals felt about the changes in the technology and how it affected their jobs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Younger consumers more likely to fall for tech support con jobs

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it's not older consumers who are most easily duped by technical support scams, a survey released today claimed.According to the poll's results, people between 25 and 34 were more than three times as likely to fall for the fake-out as those aged 55 to 64. And the youngest age group -- between 18 and 24 -- were little better than their slightly-older cohort; they were tricked by the scams more than two and a half times the rate of the group aged 66 and older.The survey, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs this summer and paid for by Microsoft, queried 1,000 adults ages 18 and up in each of several countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany and India.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

6 tips to create your online career identity

Just like companies need to maintain their public image and protect their brand, so does anyone with a career in technology -- or any industry, for that matter."Your online identity is a form of capital, much like your intellectual capital and financial capital. To that end, it can be grown slowly and steadily over time, which will eventually produce the positive results you want," says Ford R. Myers, career coach, speaker and author of Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring.Technology has changed the way people find jobs and that it's become easier than ever for hiring managers and recruiters to search for top talent, rather than wait for them to submit a resume, according to Myers. That means, your dream job could easily come knocking at your inbox, but that is only true if recruiters and hiring managers can actually find you. By taking time to carefully craft your online identity and brand, Myers says you will stand out as a "tech-savvy, smart self-marketer." He offers six critical steps in crafting your online brand, so you can put your best professional foot forward and create the career you want.To read this article Continue reading

How to improve your odds of landing great talent

In an IT market starved for talent, it's not easy to find qualified candidates. In fact, only one out of every 100 candidates is hired, according to new research from recruiting and ATS software company Lever.Increasing your odds of success What can you do to increase the odds in your organization's favor? Look at where your candidates are coming from. The research revealed that candidates referred to the company have a one-in-16 chance of getting hired; candidates submitted by a recruiting agency or firm have a one-in-22 chance while a proactively sourced candidate's chances are one in 72. Candidates who apply via a company's career site or job posting have the worst chance of being hired; only one out of 152 applicants land a job that way, the research showed.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Gartner’s 10 strategic predictions for 2017….and beyond

ORLANDO -- Claiming a 78% accuracy rate based on prior years’ results, chief of research Daryl Plummer delivered Gartner’s 10 strategic predictions for the next three-to-five years at the company’s Symposium/ITExpo yesterday.The overarching theme, Plummer said, is digital disruption, which is not only happening, but is increasing in scale over time. Here are the 10 predictions:1. By 2020, 100 million consumers will shop in virtual reality. Plummer says the Pokemon Go phenomenon is the precursor to deeper experience and engagement on the part of consumers. The next step is head-mounted displays, followed by augmented reality. Gartner predicts that by the end of 2017, one in five major retailers will begin deploying augmented reality on their web sites. If you’re in retail, it’s something to think about.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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